Santa Clara

Lavender has many uses in the home garden. It can be a hedge, border, or part of an herb garden. In culinary use, lavender flowers are used in herbal teas and desserts. There are many more uses for lavender in fragrances, potpourris and sachets, oils, and aromatherapy. The various cultivars of lavender…

Three popular varieties of sorrel are garden sorrel (Rumex acetosa), French sorrel (R. scutatus), and red veined sorrel (R. sanguineus). French sorrel is the preferred variety for culinary use. It grows throughout Europe, in almost all soils and situations. The arrow shaped leaves have a bright, lemony…

Beneficial insects help us in our gardens by pollinating plants, preying on other pests such as aphids, adding beauty, and being part of a whole, healthy ecosystem. Below is a collection of our monthly tips that relate to beneficial insects.

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Information on specific subjects: Vegetables | Herbs | Fruits & Nuts | Succulents | Waterwise Plants | Lawn, Trees, & Shrubs | Container Gardening | Cut Flowers | How To Information on specific subjects          Questions about plant problems…

Garden HelpOur popular, once-a-month Tips & Events newsletter contains timely gardening tips, reminders of important garden tasks, alerts to possible pests, and a list of our upcoming talks, plant sales, and other events. Sign up below. You can also browse past tips or past newsletters.Browse our tips by…

When to plant: January–March Harvest window: June–October, depending on variety Fertilization: Nitrogen in spring and fall, additional applications based on tree age, health, and soil quality Dormant Spray (December–February): depending on disease pressure, consider dormant sprays to control for aphids,…

Transplant: May–June For best results, wait until daytime temperatures are regularly over 75°F Start in pots for transplants: February–April; ready to transplant in 8 weeks Harvest window: August–October, two to three months after transplanting, depending on variety.

Biennial monocot with prominent bulb, hollow cylindrical leaves and an odor when bruised. Roots shallow, 12-18" Has been used for food since very early times; was eaten in Egypt before 3000 B.C. Also used as flavoring in nearly every current world culture. Botanically, there are three groups. Many claims are…

There are two types of fennel: Florence fennel, also called bulbing fennel: grown primarily for the bulb-like base of the stalks which is eaten as a vegetable. Leaves and seeds can also be harvested. Common and bronze fennel: grown just for the seeds or foliage (they do not form succulent bulbs), but are…